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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P. WUEST, Jr. PIANO KEY COUPLBR.

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(No Model.)

P. WUEST, Jr. PIAN@ KEY GOUPLBR.

No. 584,721. Patented June 15. 1897.

FIG.

Witnesses- @ZQ 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(N0 Model.)

P. WUEST, Jr. PIANO KEY GOUPLER.

No. 584,721` Patented June 15,1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EErcE.

PHILIP lVUES'l, JR., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGIIOR TOCHRISTOPHER J. IIEPPE AND FLORENCE J. HEPPE, OE SAME PLACE.

PIANO-KEY COUPLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 584,721, dated June 15,1897.

Application tiled December 6, 1895.

fo cir/ZZ whom it may con/cern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP WUEsT, Jr., a citizen of the United States,residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certainImprovements in Piano Key Couplers, of which the following is aspeciiication.

My invention relates to certain improvements in piano-key couplers inwhich the coupler is independent of the keys while out of action andwhen thrown into action will act freely without undue pressure on thepart of the performer.

My invention is based on the application for patent for piano-keycoupler tiled by me on May 31, 139-1-, Serial No. 513,051.

My present invention relates particularly to the method of mounting thecoupler so that it will be more easily operated and adjusted.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view ofan upright piano, illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan View of aportion of the keys, showing some of the coupling-levers. Fig. 3 is afront view of the piano. Fig. 4 is a detached View of the skeleton frameon which the coupling-levers are mounted, and Fig. 5 is a View showing atwo-part skeleton `trame arranged so that the bass can be coupled withthe treble.

My improved coupler can be applied to a piano under the keyboard Withoutmaterially altering the parts, and when the coupler is out of action thekeys are entirely free from the coupler. Consequently the touch of thepiano is not impaired.

A is the case of the piano.

B is the ordinary piano-action.

C are the keys, pivoted at c to a balance-rail a 0n the key-framesecured to the keyboard A. Each key C acts upon its abstract I) of thepiano-action, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, and the motion is transmittedthrough a series of levers to the hammer b.

The action illustrated is one now in common use, and it will beunderstood that this portion of the piano may be modiiicd withoutdeparting from my invention.

Pivoted at d to the front rail A2 of the piano is a skeleton. frame D,extending under the keyboard nearly the i'ull width of the piano SerialN0. 571,309. (No model.)

and extending back et the front bottom board AS.

The skeleton trame D is in the present instance of the form clearlyillustrated in Fig. 4f and is arranged for a divided coupler, beingwider at the back than at the front, and has on its upper surface abalance-rail DQ covered with felt, and a rest-rail D2, also covered withfelt, and on the balance-rail D are mounted the coupling-levers E, whichextend from a point directly under the front oi" the keys diagonally toa point directly under the .action ot the octave above or below; but itwill be understood that if the keys are coupled in one direction onlythe shape of the skeleton frame will be modiiied, or if the bass andtreble are divided then the `frame is divided, as shown in Fig. 5.

Mounted in the keyboard A', directly under the majority of the keys, arevertical pitmen e. Each of these pitmen c has a pin which is adapted toa hole in the outer end of the coupling-lever E. \Vhen thecouplinglevers are raised, any movement of the key C will be imparted tothe lever E. Preferably on the key is a felt disk c, and on the lever Eis a felt disk d, and the passage for the rod c has a felt bushing d.

Supported by the opposite end of each lever E is a pitman c2. The pitmenc2 are adapted to openings e3 in the levers, and regulatingscrews c1 areused as supports for the rods, so that by adjusting these screws therods can be raised or lowered. This construction makes it possible toadjust each pitman independently.

Each pitman c2 passes through the keyboard A, the openings in which havea bushing of felt a2, and on the abstract b of the piano-action is arear extension b2, having felt on its under side, against which thepitman strikes when the coupler is in action, so that it will be seenthat any motion imparted to the piano-action through the coupling-leveris entirely independent ot' the key which would normally act upon thatparticular portion ot' the action.

F is a lifting-rail extending the full length. of the skeleton 'frame Dnear the rear, as

shown in Eig. 1 and by dotted lines in Fig. o.

This rail is hinged at ff to blocks A4, secured to the sides of theease. Attached to the rail at the center is an arm f', which isconnected to the pedal G by a lifting-rod g. rlhe lifting-rail is heldnormally out of action bythe spring g.

Passing through a lug in the pedal and int-o the frame is aregulating-screw g2, and between the head of the regulating-screw andthe pedal is a felt washer. This screw regulates the forward throw ofthe lifting-rail F, so that by adjusting the screw the entire series etpitmen can be moved toward or from the piano-action, while theindependent pitinen are regulated by the adjusting-screws e4' on thelevers E.

Secured to blocks A5 on each side of the trame are flat springs t'.These springs rest under the inner end et' Ithe skeleton frame D andcarry the main weight of the frame, so that when the perlormer placeshis foot upon the pedal to t-hrow in the coupler a very light pressureis all that is necessary, as the springs counteract the weight of theframe and its levers, as described.

The spring g is comparatively light and is et sul'llcient tension toreturn the lifting-rail to its normal position.

One great diliieulty in the manufacture of piano-key couplers has beenthe want ol rigidity et" the several parts without aliecting the touch.Consequently numerous couplers have been made that have been more orless defective and reliance cannot be placed upon them.

By my invention the support for the coupling-levers is rigid, an d whenthe vl'oot is placed upon the pedal all parts are elevated alike and thelifting-bar F is moved to such a position as to ferm a rigid support torthe trame without undue pressure of the foot.

lt will be understood that when the piano has been arranged so that theentire coupling mechanism can be elevated so as to throw in both thebass and treble couplers the skeleton frame is made iu one section, butwhen the bass and treble are to be operated independently then I makethe skeleton frame as shown in Fig. 5 and use two pedals, and l preferto so arrange the frames that the frame controlling the bass willoverlap the frame controlling' the treble, so that while the bass can beraised independently of the treble by placing the foot on the otherpedal the treble and bass are raised in unison, as it is very seldomthat the performer wishes to use the treble independently of the bass.

I claim as my invent-ienl. The combination of the keys, the keyboardupon which the keys are mounted, a piano-action, a pivoted trame undersaid board,coupling-levers mounted on said frame, pitinen extending fromeach coupling-lever at each end, a longitudinal lifting-rail F pivotedto the t'rame of the piano and mounted under the pivoted frame, a pedalG connected to the lifting-rail, said rail being so pivoted to thebodyof the piano that when it is moved to throw the coupling-levers intoaction the pivoted vframe will be supported throughout the greaterportion of its length by the body through the said longitudinalliftil'ig-rail, substantially as described.

EZ. The combination et the ease, the keys, keyboard on which the keysare mounted, piano-action, a frame pivoted to the case at its outer endand extendingback ot the front bottom board et' the case and being widerat the back t-han at the trout, a balance-rail on said frame, and alifting-rail for elevating the frame, said lifting-rail extending nearlythe full length of the trame, so as to iirmly support it at both ends,substantially as described.

The combination el' the keys, the keyboard, the pivoted frame made intwo parts, one part overlapping the other, coupling-levers on saidtrame, pedals connected to each part so that one part can be elevatedindependently of the other and ou the depression of the pedal on theother part both sections of the frame will be raised in unison,substantially as described.

4. The combination of the keys, keyboard, pivoled frame, coupling leversthereon, springs for sustaining part of the weight el' the frame and itslevers, with means l'or elevating the frame to throw the coupling-leversinto action, substantially as described.

5. The combination et the keys, the keyboard, a pivoted frame mountedunder the keyboard and pivoted at the Atrout end and extending back ofthe bottom ilront board, springs forsustaining a portion of the weightof the trame and its levers, a -rail pivoted at each side of t-hepiauoand resting against the under side of the frame at the rear, an armextending trom the said rail, a pedal connected to said arm, with anadjusting-screw so as to regulate the throw ol the lifting-rail and theupward movement el' the frame, substantially as described.

6. The combination in a piano-key coupler, et the keys, the keyboard onwhich the keys are mounted, piano-action operated by the keys, a pivotedframe under the keyboard, coupling-levers mounted on the said trame,pitmen connecting the levers to the keys and pitmen connecting thelevers to the pianoaetion, a set-screw under the latter so that they canbe independently adjusted, a lifting-rail, a pedal connected to saidlil'tingrail, an adjustable stop to limit the movement of the pedal orlifting-rail so that either the entire coupling mechanism can beadjusted or the individual pitmen, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof l have signed my naine to this specification in thepresence el' two subscribing witnesses.

lVitnesses:

WILL. A. Riti-uz, Jos. il. KLEIN.

TOO

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